The self-employment tax point is crucial - thanks for bringing that up! For anyone calculating their quarterly payments, don't forget that SE tax is calculated on 92.35% of your net self-employment income (after business deductions). So if you made $5,650 in freelance income like the original poster, you'd pay SE tax on about $5,217. Also worth noting that you can deduct half of your self-employment tax as an adjustment to income, which reduces your regular income tax burden slightly. It's not a huge amount, but every bit helps when you're trying to figure out your quarterly payment amounts. The combination of regular income tax AND self-employment tax is why that $1,000 threshold gets hit pretty quickly with freelance work, even at relatively modest income levels.

Just wanted to add another perspective on this - I'm a freelance audio engineer who went through the exact same confusion about quarterly payments. What really helped me was understanding the safe harbor rule: if you pay at least 100% of last year's total tax liability through withholding and/or quarterly payments, you won't face penalties even if you end up owing more when you file. So for your situation, look at your total tax from last year's return. If your day job withholding plus any quarterly payments you make this year add up to at least that amount, you're protected from penalties. This gives you some breathing room while you figure out the exact amounts. Also, since you're in the music industry like me, don't forget you can deduct a lot of business expenses - equipment, software, home studio space, travel to gigs, etc. These deductions reduce your net self-employment income, which lowers both your regular income tax and self-employment tax. Keep good records of everything!

I feel your pain on this! The confusion between transcript dates and notice dates is so frustrating. From what I've seen, when you get a CP-21B notice like that, they usually default to sending a paper check even if you have direct deposit on file - something about the "corrected" refunds needing extra verification. The 2-3 week timeframe they mention is usually pretty accurate from the notice date (so mid to late January for you). I know it sucks when rent is coming up, but at least the CP-21B is good news - it means they found you're owed MORE money than you originally claimed. Hang in there! 💪

I'm dealing with something similar! Got my CP-21B notice last week and was also confused about the check vs direct deposit situation. From what I've been able to piece together from calling the IRS (took forever to get through), when they make corrections to your return like with the Recovery Rebate Credit, they often switch to paper checks for security reasons even if you have DD set up. The timeline from the notice date has been pretty accurate in my experience - I got my check exactly 15 days after the notice date. Since your notice was dated 1/6, you should hopefully see it by around 1/20-1/27. I know waiting sucks when bills are due, but the silver lining is that CP-21B means they found you're owed MORE money than you originally claimed! Stay strong! 💪

Have you checked both Account Transcript and Return Transcript? Sometimes one appears before the other. What about checking transcript for prior years - are those available? Could be an account access issue rather than processing delay. Did you receive an acceptance confirmation from your software after filing? What's your current WMR status?

I'm currently on day 12 since filing electronically and still seeing "N/A" on my transcript portal. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful - it sounds like the 7-21 day range is pretty normal. I filed a relatively simple return (W-2 income only, standard deduction) on February 28th, so I'm hoping it shows up soon. The waiting is definitely stressful, especially when you're checking multiple times per day! Has anyone noticed if checking the portal too frequently affects anything, or is that just my anxiety talking?

Quick tip - if both you and your spouse are in the exact same situation (both dual status aliens for the same part of year), you might also want to look into something called the "Substantial Presence Test Safe Harbor." If you were present in the US for fewer than 183 days in the current year but will have substantial presence next year, this might give you additional options. In some cases, it might actually be MORE beneficial NOT to make the First-Year Choice election depending on your specific income situation. The key is to calculate your taxes both ways. Also, definitely look at what tax credits you'd be eligible for if filing jointly vs. separately. Things like Child Tax Credit, education credits, etc., can make a big difference in which filing method saves you more.

I went through this exact situation two years ago when my husband and I moved on H1B/H4 visas mid-year. The First-Year Choice election that others mentioned is definitely your best bet for filing jointly. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you understand the implications for future years too. Once you make the First-Year Choice election, you're committed to being treated as a US resident for tax purposes going forward (as long as you remain in the US). This means you'll always need to report worldwide income and comply with all the foreign account reporting requirements. Also, timing matters for the election. You need to make it by the due date of your return (including extensions), and you can't revoke it later. So definitely run those calculations comparing dual-status filing vs. the election before you decide. One more tip - if you do make the election, keep excellent records of what foreign taxes you paid in early 2023 before moving. You'll need those for Form 1116 to claim foreign tax credits and avoid double taxation. The IRS can be very particular about the documentation for foreign tax credits. Good luck! The first year of US taxes as an immigrant is definitely overwhelming, but it gets easier once you understand the system.